Blooming Ends
by Loli Liana
Summary: How did Zanarkand end? What drove the city to dream under Yu Yevon eternally? Through this tale witness the end of a city, the final destruction of a man's mind, and the true story of one woman who believed otherwise in a hope for Spira as a whole. The


1000 years ago

Zanarkand

Chapter I: Conventio of Snow

One can never foretell a tale of the flight of a forgotten spirit. They come and go in the spring and fall when the lights flash and death dances around with the sound of war. Here in Zanarkand that is our song with the rising sun and the falling moon with each passing day. Is there a day we can remember when the sounds of laughter filtered the through the lands instead of the screaming of mothers and wives who has lost their loved ones.

I have sat upon my patio for many passing nights listening to the forgotten laughter in my dreams. I can only remember being so young giving the people in this city that laughter. That was my duty to the people. I gave them laughter and hope for a short time through performance and entertainment, but that only lasted so long before I had to step down.

In the end my real place in this vast city is that of a priestess, the most coveted position in the eyes of the people. I am a summoner, one who communicates and guards the spirits of those long since past but keep a power in this world over the living. There is a sense of pride when one protects those they love most even if it be the face of a child you have never met.

"Aki, stop staring off into the stars again," the voice of her younger brother sounded from within.

The young summoner stood from her place and joined him within shutting the pale white veils over her window to the outside. At times that place felt to be her only sanctuary, but as soon as she turned to her brother she felt her heart light with joy. His eyes held innocence every time she looked to them, even more so now with the innocent love he secretly kept to himself for his summoner.

"Shuyin, I would think by now you would realize looking to those stars gives me peace," she replied joining him in the main room.

He shook his head as if to prove her wrong as his gloved hand brushed its way through his uneven dark blonde hair. He had the title role in the international sport of Blitzball as the star player, and as usual he looked the part in his attire.

As she embraced her younger brother she asked, "Did you team win another game?"

His quick reply was yet again drowning with pride as he replied, "Of course. We are on the top of our game, and no team is going to push us down."

Aki knew he had more to say but he kept his silence. She knew it had to deal with the fact that Zanarkand was only facing teams within their own city and not the rest of Spira. Since the war began between Bevelle and Zanarkand, their city has little contact with the world beyond Mt. Gagazet. This of course was over fifteen years ago, when Aki was only ten years old. It was at the beginning of the war that their parents were killed in battle, the first one between the two great cities. Ever since then Shuyin and her had to grow up on their own as orphans within the temple she had been training in at the time upon the peak of Mt. Gagazet.

With her release of her only connection to this world she smiled again.

"Would you like me to make some dinner for you and Lenne?"

He shook his head as he pleaded, "Not tonight, we're going out to this convention for her performance. I actually came to tell you that someone has wanted to see you, and he is waiting for you with your husband at the main monastery in the city."

Aki knew right away who he spoke of and it never helped when these meetings came forth at these times. Indeed the young summoner was married, but it was via a political marriage to the leader of Zanarkand. Yu Yevon, her husband, gave her the freedom as if she was not married, because he had a happy marriage to his first wife and had a young daughter with her. What made Aki uncomfortable was the other male she would be meeting.

He was first in command of all the armies of Zanarkand and had control of the placement of each summoner in battle. Aki admired him with the deepest love because he had saved her life many times in her first years of battle before she was recalled back for her marriage. Although she expressed unconditional love it was all but obvious upon his face how much he loved her eternally, a love that could turn to jealousy if she was ever to break her code and love a man physically or emotionally.

She bowed to the commander to greet him, "It is always a pleasure to see you again Commander Fenrir."

Immediately she felt her hand taken away by his own as his lips touched upon her warm soft flesh.

"As always it is my honor my lady," he quickly retorted with a smile of trust.

With his welcome she turned to her husband again with a genuine curiosity as to their request of her presence. From his expression it was one of serious content, and she could only guess to what the issue was.

"Lady Aki, it is time you take a guardian. The times are drawing darker as you already have felt with our losing battles with each passing day," her arranged husband began.

She knew of what he spoke of. Even though the people remained calm and peaceful to the best they could, they continued to lose the war. Everyday she could feel a spirit flee this world and travel to the Farplane. They always said war was needed to weed the population and give life to the planet again, but it still created a sense of weakness within the priestess.

Aki intervened, "My lord I should protest…"

"There is no room for discussion on the matter. We can not afford a spy getting a hold of you in the cold of night as the last two have gone that were upon the council."

Indeed it was a troubling manner in that two summoners had been murdered in their sleep in the night by assassins. Bevelle were surely growing desperate to end this war too by the number of losses they had already suffered.

Several of her fingers disappeared into the deep luscious locks of metallic silver as they traveled down the waist length hair. She knew Fenrir would press the manner, and maybe even place himself in the position.

As she suspected it was true as he spoke up, "My lady Aki, allow me to be your guardian. As commander I am highly skilled to keep the lord's wife in safety."

The middle-aged commander turned to his superior as Aki's deep violet eyes looked to her husband with the same knowledge as his own golden hue. There was no way either Fenrir or himself could force her to choose the commander. It was a decision she had to make on her own.

"Fenrir, this is her choice to determine as the doctrines of our religion has granted for centuries past," he finished quickly retreating to his council chamber.

The eyes of the commander traveled over to her expecting her to give into keeping him at her side at all times.

"Do not expect me to briskly choose you as my guardian. I admire your valor and devotion, but your duty in the end is to the front lines where the hearts of our soldiers lie."

As expected yet again the older man had to argue, "My lady reconsider this rash choice of yours."

With a swift movement she was in his arms. Even though he poured his warmth and contempt into the embrace as if a gift given to him from the heavens she remained still with an icy glare.

"Do not deny what we are together. You are the first and only truly idolized idol of Zanarkand. My protection is the one and only that can keep you truly safe. Yu Yevon accepts any decision of my keeping close to you. Grant me this one wish," he begged.

Only a snap of her wrist and she was released from his grasp as that all remained as a silhouette of her body in ice. There she stood behind the ice silhouette separating them now.

"Understand this now Fenrir. I share an unconditional love for you for your gratitude, service, honor, and admiration, but I will not place you under my wing as my guardian. If I am acquiring one, I shall do so by my own methods. For the notion you made in concern to being an idol was a bold statement but far from the truth. The city relies upon my protégé and her skills to deliver hope to them. Lenne is best suited for the spotlight as I keep my place behind the drapes. Now if you excuse me," she finished retreating the scene and leaving the commander with his most definite damaged pride.

Aki made her away across the vast city, retreating to her haven of solitude. This place truly brought peace to her mind as she escaped to the towering pillar of water. For now it only stood a few feet above the pool of water, its origins. This place locked away in Mt. Gagazet was a mystical one in that its guardians, the Ronso she called them, kept it pure and beautiful.

It seemed like hours that she continued to stare as she hummed the hymn of the temples to the very spirits that lied in rest within. The only power that kept this pillar going was the spirits of the Farplane giving a glimpse of hope through their dreams. They were the ones that guarded all of the living through the aeons of which they summoned. Aki knew best being that she was the only living summoner who could not only summon but fuse with the spirits of her aeons.

That though was not only on her mind. It was the whole weight of Spira's sorrow upon her shoulders that kept her thinking. Truly she was in need of a guardian not only for protection but someone that she could find and talk to. That is why Fenrir would never do, because all he wants her physicality and that dwindle hope that she held emotions for him. It was as if he expected a forbidden fruit to present itself before him in the form of this prohibited love she would have.

Her thoughts were abruptly halted at the faintest sound of footsteps upon the icy snow. Her senses were high to nature as she knew fully well the consequences to traveling alone.

Quickly her form disappeared into the ice and mountain side as she sought out her follower. No one knew of this place, her haven from the world, and this only kept her puzzled more. Had an assassin seek her out to take her life in her peaceful place.

Aki stood silent within the mountain as the shadowed figure emerged from the only way into her small alcove. Soon the cloaked figure was joined by several more as the surrounded the place of which she was just sitting in seconds prior. It was as if they were using their natural sense of smell to find her as the sniffed the ground all around alongside the air for her scent.

She listened to their repulsively primitive sound of a snarl. They must have been creatures unleashed from the south in response to cut Zanarkand at its heels. Their language was those of screeches and moans with no translation of any kind to modern knowledge.

Chilling fears settled into her muscles as they kept her paralyzed there in the shadows, watching the vermin look for her. Then it all happened so suddenly when all their piercing yellow eyes found her in her small cavern. A screech of victory sounded in the area as they all conjured there staring upon her.

Aki knew she couldn't avoid this battle, this decisive attack upon her, another assassination attempt. With this a new tally upon her soul was born as she stepped out to meet her most unwelcome guests. Quickly their small forms surrounded her with various blades and mecha guns all ready to take her life in a blink of a moment. There was no need to ask questions to a creature that would never answer or understand. Their dark cloaks only concealed their hideous forms from her eye sight, and with her determination to live a sense of pity resided as well.

As she stood alone surrounded by more then a dozen of the failed Bevellian experiments, she gathered her hands together in prayer. For moments she tried to listen to those that would call out to her in prayer, to respond to her plea of guidance. There were none though in return as expected as always. In those brief moments given to her, there was nothing except the piercing pain now claiming her body.

When she reemerged into reality her eyes took upon the scene of herself feeling of one of the blades of the shrouded fiends in her leg. The burning sensation rose its way up her limb to the central core of her being as she dire to howl out in pain. The Fayths had not listened to her plea, and now her body had been afflicted with a striking feel of pain. It finally dawned upon her why when she looked to the sky for hope.   
There before her in the sky a contraption designed to repel all use of summoning and magic. Without a doubt this placed the summoner at a disadvantage for she carried no weapon with her except the short blade that now was being held in the hands of one of the infidels. She was defenseless as they pushed closer and closer into her personal space ready to take her life.

No time was given with the first attack as she felt another blade slide across her side tearing the top flesh and clothing apart. All Aki could do was fall back in stride as the pain only intensified itself ten fold. Rash action was needed as she caught eye of the blade at her side ready to fully pierce her flesh. With a quick response to attack her leg took a power of its own kicking the blade from the hands of the attacker. Swiftly she pushed the disarmed creature back as she put herself against the wall to face the others.

This only gave her mere seconds to recover as the pain rushed to her side as much as the blood was now flowing. As they approached she flipped herself with a twist to her body landing nimbly behind them making a run for it. It was close, the only exit/entrance to the small cove. There before her she was stopped by someone cloaked. Their build lean and strong from first glance, their eyes looking down to her as she ran right in their arms. It felt like this was her end as if she had fallen right into their arms, but instead it was not. In the blink of an eye she found herself behind the cloaked figure as a sword was now in their hand taking the battle to their level with the creatures.

Their blade was skilled with such struck their enemy in single strokes. In the matter of seconds her safety had returned as her blade was handed by the mysterious savior.

To Continue…

6


End file.
